Paris’s Major Museums, Easily Accessible from Vincennes
First stop: the Château de Vincennes
In Vincennes itself, the Château de Vincennes raises the tallest medieval keep in Europe, its 52 metres watching over the town since the 14th century. Inside, a single ticket opens the Sainte-Chapelle and its stained glass, the ramparts and the gardens. A first cultural outing to be enjoyed on foot, before you even set off for Paris.
1. Musée Picasso
In the heart of the Marais, the Hôtel Salé, a superb 17th-century mansion, houses the Musée Picasso and the largest public collection of the artist: paintings, drawings, sculptures, down to the canvases of his Blue Period. You discover them along staircases and light-filled rooms, in a setting at once intimate and grand.
Practical: closed Monday (Tue-Fri 10.30am-6pm, weekends 9.30am-6pm). Saint-Paul (L1), ~13 min by metro then ~8 min on foot through the Marais (about 20 min door to door). View on Google Maps
2. Musée Carnavalet
A short walk away, the Musée Carnavalet retraces the history of Paris across two private mansions linked by gardens: old shop signs, period rooms, reconstructed interiors. As its permanent collections are free, it is easily visited straight after the Musée Picasso.
Practical: closed Monday (Tue-Sun 10am-6pm), permanent collections free. Saint-Paul (L1), ~13 min by metro then ~5 min on foot. View on Google Maps
3. Musée du Louvre
A former fortress turned royal palace, crowned by Ieoh Ming Pei's glass pyramid, the Louvre watches over the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Immense, it is best savoured in small doses: the time of one wing or one era, without trying to take in everything.
Practical: closed Tuesday (9am-6pm, late openings Wednesday and Friday until 9pm). Palais-Royal Musée du Louvre (L1), ~20 min direct. View on Google Maps
4. Musée de l'Orangerie
At the edge of the Tuileries, the Musée de l'Orangerie unfurls Monet's eight Water Lilies across two oval rooms bathed in natural light. The experience is gentle, almost meditative; an hour is enough to let it envelop you, away from the crowds.
Practical: closed Tuesday (9am-6pm). Concorde / Tuileries (L1), ~22 min by metro then a short walk (about 25 min door to door). View on Google Maps
5. Musée d'Orsay
Set in a station from 1900, beneath a great clock facing the Seine, the Musée d'Orsay holds the finest Impressionist collection in the world: Monet, Degas's dancers, Renoir's Bal du moulin de la Galette. From the openwork face of the clock, the view over Paris is among the most delicate in the city.
Practical: closed Monday (9.30am-6pm, late opening Thursday until 9.45pm). L1 to Concorde plus the Léopold-Sédar-Senghor footbridge (or RER C), ~30 min. View on Google Maps
6. Musée national du Moyen Âge (Cluny)
Between Gallo-Roman baths and a medieval mansion, the Musée de Cluny preserves the six Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, a tender and enigmatic masterpiece. A step back into the Middle Ages in the heart of the Latin Quarter, happily extended by a stroll along the Seine.
Practical: closed Monday (9.30am-6.15pm). Cluny-La Sorbonne (L10) with a connection, ~30-35 min. View on Google Maps
7. Musée Rodin
Around the Hôtel Biron, the Musée Rodin spreads three hectares of garden where The Thinker, The Kiss and works by Camille Claudel stand. You come as much for the sculptures as for the pleasure of sitting in the shade of the rose bushes; a reduced-price garden ticket is enough for the walk.
Practical: closed Monday (10am-6.30pm). Varenne (L13) / Invalides (L8) with a connection, ~35-40 min. View on Google Maps
8. Musée de l'Armée (Invalides)
Beneath the golden Dome of Les Invalides lies Napoleon. The Musée de l'Armée presents armour, uniforms and mementoes of the two world wars in a monumental setting. Open seven days a week, it comes into its own on Mondays and Tuesdays, when most museums close their doors.
Practical: open daily (10am-6pm, except 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec), late opening first Friday of the month until 10pm. Invalides / La Tour-Maubourg (L8, L13) with a connection, ~35-40 min. View on Google Maps
9. Musée d'Art moderne de Paris (MAM)
In a wing of the Palais de Tokyo, facing the Seine, the Musée d'Art moderne de Paris shows its permanent collections free of charge, among them Dufy's La Fée Électricité, one of the largest paintings in the world. Its terrace, open onto the Eiffel Tower, invites a pause before you continue the walk.
Practical: closed Monday (10am-6pm), permanent collections free. Iéna / Alma-Marceau (L9) with a connection, ~35-40 min. View on Google Maps
10. Musée Marmottan Monet
On the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, the Musée Marmottan Monet holds the largest Monet collection in the world, including Impression, Sunrise, the painting that gave Impressionism its name. The hushed atmosphere of a private mansion, away from the main flows, makes it a fine end to the journey.
Practical: closed Monday (10am-6pm, late opening Thursday until 9pm). La Muette (L9) with a connection, ~50 min (walk included). View on Google Maps
As a bonus, a magical day out: Disneyland Paris
From Vincennes, Disneyland Paris is reached by RER A, to Marne-la-Vallée Chessy, in about forty-five minutes. Fireworks over Sleeping Beauty Castle, parades and rides: a day apart, to round off the stay on a magical note.
Practical: Marne-la-Vallée Chessy on RER A from Vincennes (~40 min); opening times and tickets on the official site. View on Google Maps
FAQ
Which museums can you reach by direct metro from Vincennes?
The Louvre, the Orangerie, the Musée Picasso and the Musée Carnavalet, with no change on line 1; the Musée d'Orsay via line 1 to Concorde, then a short walk along the Seine.
Which day should you avoid for a visit?
The Louvre and the Orangerie close on Tuesday; Orsay, Picasso, Carnavalet, Rodin, Cluny, Marmottan and the MAM on Monday. The Musée de l'Armée, however, is open seven days a week, ideal for a rainy Monday.
Which museums are free for a savvy weekend?
The permanent collections of the Carnavalet and the Musée d'Art moderne de Paris; the garden of the Musée Rodin at a reduced rate.
Can you combine several museums in a day?
Yes: line 1 lines up the Marais (Picasso, Carnavalet), the Louvre and the Orangerie along the same axis, ideal for one in the morning and another in the afternoon, without ever changing trains.
And for a magical day out?
Disneyland Paris is reached by RER A (~40 min) from Vincennes, almost without changing: the perfect bonus to extend a weekend for two.
Is the Best Western Saint-Louis well located?
Yes, a few minutes from Château de Vincennes, the terminus of line 1, with direct access to the Louvre, the Marais and the Tuileries, and the château as a neighbour, right outside the hotel.
Where to stay
On your return from Paris, the Best Western Saint-Louis welcomes you in peace and quiet, with the Château de Vincennes as a neighbour: a human-scale four-star hotel, conceived as an anchor point between the city and the greenery of eastern Paris. Book at the best rate directly on our site.
